Lost ability to share printer in XP

I have a desk top and 2 lap tops running XP Pro. They are networked through a D-Link DI-624. All of the units can surf the web and up to about 10 days ago they all shared a printer that is hooked to my pc. When I started checking why no printer I saw that the connection on my pc said that it was connected but that it was not shared. I went into the properties of the connection and opened the advanced tab to enable sharing. What I got was a message that says, "Windows can not display properties of this connection. The Windows Management Instrumentation info might be corrupted. Use the system restore. "

I tried using system restore and it did no good. Any tips on what I might reinstall or do to fix this problem?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

Have a look here http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;823775&Product=winxp

 

I see that a different system ( Wireless vs Wired ) is being used here but I had the same problem with an HP5550 printer which I shared with 1 XP and 2-98SE machines. The Printer was installed to and shared on the XP machine which meant this machine had to be on at all times in order for others to use it. I kept losing the sharing capability. And if this machines was shutdown nobody could print. Many complaints came up.

So. I got an HP5850 and hooked it right to the Router. Now it has its own individual IP address which is asigned by the Router.

Of course I had to install it on all three machines. But, I will say FIRMLY, it has paid off BIG TIME as it no longer depends on just one machine.

Whether you can do that with Wireless I do not know. So I do have to ask here because I have been approached by a Family Member about this.

Can't you install the printer to each machine ? If so that would do away with the sharing and problems that go with it.

BillyBob

 

I forgot something important.

The way I have things set, I have the Router, the Switch and the Printer plugged into their own separate power supply and left on all the time so that others can use it.

And also by being left on it does not change IP addresses.

BillyBob